The Kansas City Chiefs finally placed wide receiver Rashee Rice on injured reserve Thursday, meaning he will miss at least the next four games.
Rice suffered a knee injury while trying to make a tackle following an interception in Week 4 against the Chargers. Initially, the fear was that it was potentially a season-ending injury. But head coach Andy Reid said Thursday that the team is still waiting for swelling to go down in Rice’s knee before making a full evaluation.
“I think just wait-and-see is where we’re at,” Reid said. “For his sake, we’re really hoping things work out for the best, but let’s just see where it goes. Leave it up to the doctors to see. I’m definitely not a doctor.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes added Thursday that he “felt like s—” that he hit Rice on the play that caused the receiver’s injury.
“I wasn’t really worried about myself,” Mahomes said. “I was worried about his injury and hopefully it wasn’t as bad as it looked because I was the one that hit him.”
In spite of only playing four snaps Sunday before getting hurt, Rice leads the 4-0 Chiefs in targets (29), receptions (24) and receiving yards (288) and is tied for the team lead in TD catches (two), along with rookie Xavier Worthy.
The Chiefs host the 2-2 Saints on Monday at home, followed by the bye in Week 6. Rice will miss that game, as well as contests against road games against the 49ers and Raiders and a home date against the Buccaneers at the minimum.
The offense suffered other big losses with wideout Hollywood Brown and running back Isiah Pacheco landing on IR prior to Rice’s injury. Mahomes still has tight end Travis Kelce at his side, and Worthy has stepped up early in his career, but the lack of weapons available has suddenly become glaring.
